Cold Weather opens in Los Angeles February 11 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5. This genre-bender is a meditation on human relationships dressed as a mystery-thriller. The film plays by its own rules, refusing to be rushed by short attention spans or pressured by mainstream expectations. The 2010 SXSW hit reminds us that any budget when combined with the will to get a great film made is better than a big budget and the will to fit in. Plus, collaboration is not only free — it’s a recipe for indie success. Here is indieWIRE’s review and a scene explained by Katz.

Below, Katz and McFadden talk about their inspiration for Cold Weather, the collaborative process, character-driven genre films, upcoming projects (including one with the “reverse character of Sherlock Holmes…a high society rogue”), the need for original content, and making the movies they want to see the way they want to make them: